Make buildings user-friendly for disabled, bureau advises owners

By Edwin Cheserek

Persons who own buildings that are not user friendly have been issued with a notice of compliant.

The notice was issued during the launch of an initiative that seeks to ensure all buildings remain accessible to persons with disabilities through progressive removal of barriers.

National Council for Persons with Disabilities in partnership with Kenya Bureau of Standards launched the initiative that seeks to compel property owners to redesign their building to become user friendly by next year.

Participants at the workshop held in Eldoret on Sunday noted that persons with disabilities have over the years not been given the right to enjoy all their fundamental freedoms.

Council’s director Phoebe Nyakudi said the two-day workshop dubbed Accessibility and Usability of the Built Environment seeks to create awareness to the public to comply with the standards.

Remove barriers

“The general systems of the society are accessible and that policy, legislative, commitment and programmes are in place for progressive removal of barriers to development participation for all,” she advised.

In the convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopted in 2006, accessibility is provided as a cross cutting factor that enables the persons to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of the society.